Louisiana Could Restrict How Dogs Travel in Pickup Beds
If you're looking for a small business to start up, think about moving to Louisiana. The House of Representatives just passed a law that requires any dogs being transported in the bed of a pickup truck on an interstate highway to travel inside a covered and secured container.
While Louisiana is neither in the top 10 or bottom 10 dog ownership states (it's about average, with less than 40 percent of households owning a dog), if you've spent any time there, you know there are a lot of pickups as well as a lot of dogs. And if you happen to be handy with a few tools, you can probably create a nice, little, portable dog house that can be strapped into the bed of any pickup and make a bit of money.
According to the New Orleans Times-Picayune, a bill like this was proposed last year but was killed in the Louisiana Senate for being too restrictive. This new bill only applies to interstate highways and does not apply to other roads. Many other states have similar restrictions about transporting dogs in open beds as well.
If you live in Louisiana or a state with similar restrictions, here are a few solutions:
- Think about buying a cab or shell for your pickup. That will protect your dogs and shelter them from wind.
- Cross-tethering will allow the dogs more stability while you drive your truck, preventing them from sliding all over the bed floor.
- Although it is a little pricey, you can go the custom-built crate path, like those offered by Kustom Krates that are specifically designed for pickups, vans or SUVs.
- Finally, several companies offer pet harnesses to secure dogs to passenger seats inside vehicles.
Comments
unintended consequences: people will just put a tarp or tonneau cover over their dogs
It is getting more common. My province has a law stating they have to be tethered or crated so that they cannot jump or fall out of the back. Even dogs inside the cab if not tethered with "doggie" seat belts will not be covered by insurance if injured in a crash.
I put a fake beard and glasses on my pooch so I can ride in the car pool lanes...
Oh man, the Blue Heeler Lobby is going to hat that. No more surfin' the flatbed.
Here is an interesting article about the current state of the pickupturck.
http://www.motortrend.com/features/consumer/1404_how_pickup_trucks_became_most_exciting_segment/
The U.S. Constitution doesn't say: All dogs are created equal, it says: All Men are created equal!
There's no guarantees when you take your dog with you, wherever you go. Be that anything from work, hiking, mt biking, dog park, wherever. You take every precaution and extra care though. Mine do get ride in the bed, tethered and under the right conditions, but mostly my dogs ride in the cab, without a tether. Tethering in the cab is a good idea I'll look into, but they would freak out in a container. Not happening. Either way, dogs hate staying home. It's really unfair if you're never home and or, they're keep outdoors. Be kind to animals.
Otherwise, it's fun to take your best friends with you everywhere. They definitely have a blast. Here's the rascals now:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vx4PE4DxuYU
Just do like Clark Griswold did in Christmas Vacation. Tie it to the bumper!
@Lou_ BC,
They have to be tethered in the back. I think they also need to have the seat belt go through their harness if in the cab.
@Tom#3 - if pedigree matters then "all dogs are NOT created equal".
@DenverlllMike - it all depends on what a dog is used to. I had a Golden Retriever that was just as comfortable in the crate as out. One of my black labs hated the crate as a pup but it became her favourite place to sleep as she aged.
My current chocolate lab is a bit of a whiner in the cab or in the box. My wife's cockapoo is a pain in the ass.
It is getting more common. My province has a law stating that my wife will have to be tethered or crated so that she cannot jump or fall out of the back of the truck. Even if I allow my wife is inside the cab, if not tethered and leashed I will not be covered by insurance if injured in a crash.
The quickest way to kill a dog in the HOT summer heat is to put them in a metal box. Way to Louisiana, you must be a Obama supporter.
@Rob - "The quickest way to kill a dog in the HOT summer heat is to put them in a metal box...."
Wow Rob now your giving advise on how to kill a dog.
While your at it, what's the quickest way to make money?
"The quickest way to kill a dog in the HOT summer heat is to put them in a metal box"
Would have to agree with you. Keeping in a locked car in the Summer too, Police/Ranger here break into cars to relieve dogs in distress then fine the owners.
@Robert Ryan
Leaving any animal inside a vehicle is very stupid. But worse than that is leaving kids in a vehicle on their own.
Dogs inside a vehicle should be restrained with harnesses. A dog 'flying' through the cabin of a vehicle is dangerous.
In Australia we have different law regarding the restraint of animals and even kids.
I asked my niece this past Christmas where her child booster seat was when I was putting her young one in the car. She looked at me puzzled.
The kid was 6 and he was only secured by the seat belt, with no booster seat to ensure the seat belt was effective.
She said he only had to be in the back seat.
Well, I hope the US or at least NJ changes the regulation regarding child restraining.
BAFO,
The child seat laws vary from state to state.
@Scout or whomever
Hmmm..........re-read my comment.
Maybe you wouldn't have made a response, which I already alluded to regarding different laws in the US regarding states.
Had a hard night last night? A bit hard to comprehend today.
On Saturday evening, knowing that fun and exciting 20-something-style plans were not going to materialize out of the void, I decided to go on a quest for agar flakes–a weird health food item that I was going to use to make myself some pudding. I was browsing the aisles of a family-owned, local health food store, lusting after the various overpriced dark chocolate bars, when I came across a bag of seaweed salad in the refrigerated section. Having previously ordered (and enjoyed) seaweed salads as an appetizer at sushi restaurants, I thought this could be fun. Perhaps not a great complement to pudding, but whatever–wine will help it all fit together. I purchased said seaweed (and agar flakes) and walked to my truck.
With hunger and a misguided sense of adventure flashing across my eyes, I ripped open the plastic bag and barbarically took some seaweed and shoved it into my mouth–not unlike the dinosaurs in Fantasia. My eyes immediately widened with terror–again, like the dinosaurs. Just thought you guys should know that!
BAFO,
Your comments are generally better than that. I don't always agree with the opinions but at least they are well thought compared to so many here. Yes my response to you was vague, but it wasn't meant to give a list of all 50 states and how the laws vary between them. I'm not sure why you felt the need to go on the attack because of it. The only thing you said "alluded to" about the states was that you hope NJ changes regulations. I guess I should have been more specific to help with your comprehension. Then perhaps you would not have felt the need to go on the offensive, *alluding* that I missed things from your comment, or implying that I'm posting under some kind of alias. This place is full of mindless fanboys that cant seem to do much more than repeat brand slogans and attack other badges. Is that who you like to converse with? I ask because telling someone,
"Hmmm..........re-read my comment.
Maybe you wouldn't have made a response,"
is definitely a sure way to keep it that way. The fanboys have driven many good contributors elsewhere, including myself. I rarely comment here, and am reminded why after condescendingly being told I should not have left a post by someone (that I thought was one of the more informed) on this site.
@Scout
If you state you are peeved, why use a different name?
Use your normal name, you can't, because you hid behind many names and disrupt.
Have a read of some of you previous handiwork. What a sad individual you are. Just read what you posted in my name above.
A link with your handiwork.
http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2013/03/putc-at-the-2013-new-york-auto-show.html
BAFO,
I have never posted here under any other name, including yours. Like I said, I believe your posts are generally good even if I don't always agree with the opinions. The lack of accountability and the format here are some of the reason I choose other forum's. I'm not peeved and even if I were I would use the same name I always do to say so. Again, I always use the same name, and I don't take the handle of others to play games. If someone is doing that to you then it's unfortunate. But that's what happens in a blog like this one when there is no safeguards to keep people accountable. I also have no control over others using my name here. For that reason anyone can use the name Scout and make me look bad. Between that, the mindless fanboys, and the fact that I really don't like the format for the comments here I rarely post and and almost never read all the comments. If you would like to have actual discussions with people that don't hide behind multiple screen names I will leave the links where you can find the one and only me, along with other good people. I would honestly like to see you and a few others here make the jump to the other forums.
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